I always have thought that the officer was new on board, and was an O-4. I thought he was a replacement flight-deck officer. I was the AIMD/IM2-division officer in '71 and AIMD/IM1-division officer in '72. I think LT Bill Dazel had IM2 at the time of the accident. AIMD received the engine from the squadron, and we crated and shipped it back to North Island. There may have been a memorial-service for the officer. There's no "more dangerous" place on earth than the flight deck of an attack-carrier during combat operations, hazardous-duty pay notwithstanding.
I was assigned to P-1 Div.#4MMR,heard from a couple of people who had been in the hangar at the time,said that he was basically in the wrong place/wrong time just a couple of days as safety Officer.I also heard that while they had the eng.removed for cleaning,someone(fuel crew) painted sharks teeth on the sides of the intake cowl and called it the purple people eater.True story.Fuelers wear purple jerseys.
